MLB Hall of Fame Voting?

[Irish Envy]

What do you guys think of all the hub bub being bantered about in the media in regards to McGwire, Sosa, etc... Do you think these guys should be in the Hall of Fame even though they were never caught cheating?

 

[jerseyborn1971]

I'm not a big baseball fan. To me, baseball has a certain aura of arrogance around it. Baseball fans all to often seem to look their noses down upon all the other sports. Plus, it's way too slow, the games are way too long and there are way too many of them. That being said, let the guy in. He never failed a drug test and provided the only excitement non-baseball people found in the game.

 

[jiggafini19]

The only thing they can do is keep him off as a first ballot inductee. It is rather hypocritical to leave them out entirely.

They were never caught because there was never any testing and they all have very good lawyers and lots of money.

Bonds will go in first ballot because he's in bed with ESPN.

 

[marv81s]

Till it is proven that they did in fact cheat, they should get in if they are voted in.

 

[Pete]

They say that character is apart of the decision. Yet people like Ty Cobb are in the Hall. It use to be that 500 home runs was automatic. I think with this era's players those automatics need to be thrown out the window. I say keep them out at least once, maybe twice, then decide on the facts. You are innoccent until proven guilty in this country, and even though Big Mac punked out infront of Congress, he was never found guilty. The thing that I find funny is that Ralfeal Palmero has over 500 HRs and over 3000 hits and will not ever make the Hall.

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

Hell no, you don't let McGwire or Sosa in and especially not Bonds. This isn't a court of law, they don't have to be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Look how McGwire acted in front on Congress. Don't tell me those are the actions of an innocent man.

And Sosa was a cheat forever. He said he'd take a test anytime and then a reporter told him to go down the street for a test and he didn't do it. Plus he corked his bat. And, he couldn't speak English all of a sudden at the Congressional hearings. Come 'on.

And Bonds is the worst of them all. Balco, Greg Anderson, the Cream and the Clear which he thougt was flaxseed oil! Flaxseed oil! Plus his head grew astronomically along with his home runs. No way!

So, no, you don't let them in, ever.

 

[mirertobrooks]

I played ball in college. This shit was everywhere. I hope they can put an end to it, but I remeber seeing guys in my Fr. year, a year later they'd gained 30 lbs. of muscle. What i can say is this, all the strength in the world can't help you hit a 92 mph fastball any better (juice doesn't help your hand-eye coordination). Sosa and Mac were good for the game, they are both excellent power hitters, I don't think they should be punished honestly.

Q. I f you were 6-2 175 with a good arm, quick bat speed, and good legs with a chance at millions and a dream, would you take them?
I didn't but I often thought about it.

 

[pappy]

I think they were good for the game, but what type of a message are we sending kids? Take drugs, become a famous baseball player? Bet on baseball, and get banned for life??IMO, Pete Rose is better than McGwire and Sosa put together.

 

[mirertobrooks]

Good point Pappy. I think it's a terrible message to glorify what any juice user has done. If anyone remembers the Andro craze about 6-7 yrs ago you'll understand what I'm talking about. Anything to get an edge, no 17-22 yr old male thinks very well at that age.

 

[NDAlumSon]

I'm not a big baseball fan. To me, baseball has a certain aura of arrogance around it. Baseball fans all to often seem to look their noses down upon all the other sports. Plus, it's way too slow, the games are way too long and there are way too many of them.

Whaaaa?????
Even communist Cubans love baseball !
I'm thinking you'd look good on my ignore list.
Wellll.........alright, I'll let this one slide.

 

[seniorle]

I follow baseball quite a bit and I think Big Mac and Sosa deserve to get in because steroids weren't banned until recently so they weren't breaking the rules. Gambling was a rule back then and Pete Rose broke it (and then lied about it forever) so he doesn't deserve to get in.

Is steroids wrong, absolutely. Did they break any rules for using them, no they did not. It's MLB's fault more than anyone else's. Just my two cents.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

Whaaaa?????
Even communist Cubans love baseball !
I'm thinking you'd look good on my ignore list.
Wellll.........alright, I'll let this one slide.

HA! If you don't put me on your ignore list for not liking baseball, I won't put you on mine for being a Red Sox fan!

The Celtics, now there is something we agree on.

 

[ACamp1900]

I'm not a big baseball fan. To me, baseball has a certain aura of arrogance around it. Baseball fans all to often seem to look their noses down upon all the other sports. Plus, it's way too slow, the games are way too long and there are way too many of them. That being said, let the guy in. He never failed a drug test and provided the only excitement non-baseball people found in the game.

As a big fan of most sports I see this go back and forth all the time... the arrongance is usually in response to comments like that, and then it just goes back and forth... those who like baseball defned it til death and those who don't for some reason tend the rip it to pieces rather than just leave is alone (not saying you did... you're comment just made me think about it) I guess you could compare the emotions tied to baseball to those tied to Notre Dame in a lot of ways...take that for what you will I guess...

 

[ACamp1900]

I don't know.... steriods in Baseball (and Football for that matter)hits home a bit... I have had friends and cousins alike that got into that stuff bad... add that to the fact my first name is Aaron after Hank Aaron who set that record legit...

I have to say if I were a voter I would keep Bonds/ Palm./ McG./ Sosa and the rest off my ballott... but what can you say if they get in? most never got caught right? It's a hard spot for everyone

 

[Bellcon]

I wouldn't vote in any of the bonds/sosa/Mcguire type of players. I couldn't do it.

 

[kjones]

Please don't hate me for a being a life-long Giants fan, who doesn't actually "hate" Barry as much as the rest of the world does, the whole thing makes me sad more than anything else. I just don't want to be flamed for saying something not negative about him. Anyway, the one thing about Barry vs. McGwire and Sosa is that Barry deserved to be in the Hall BEFORE taking steroids. I don't think either Big Mac or Slammin Sammy would have been a big deal without their 'roids or andro, or whatever. As for whether any of them should be inducted? I don't know, and dont' really care, but pre-steroids Bonds was still one of the best that ever played.

 

[njuneardave]

i want sosa in the hall of fame b/c i met him and got his autograph. autograph + hall of fame = good money

=D

really, though, he shouldn't get into the hall... neither should big mac or barry. bottom line is that they used performance enhancing drugs, which provided an unfair advantage over the other players. yeah, roid use was very prevalent in the MLB at the time (as it was when i was in college ball, too), but it doesn't make it right. i agree with pappy... what kind of message does the MLB want to send to young kids?


on a side note... jigga said bonds will be in the MLB hall because he is in bed with ESPN (good point). i bet Troy Smith gets voted into the MLB hall of fame too since he is like THE BEST QB EVERRRRRRR, so he deserves to be in "deck the halls".

 

[NDAlumSon]

HA! If you don't put me on your ignore list for not liking baseball, I won't put you on mine for being a Red Sox fan!

The Celtics, now there is something we agree on.

Deal !

 

[seniorle]

I'm surprised ESPN hasn't run a series on how Ohio State is the greatest team ever and how they would run over all the historice great teams =P

 

[irishindydawg]

They should get in but not on the first ballot maybe not even second ballot. But evenutally they should get in.

 

[ttown2424]

rose should be in for sure. guy gave it his all on the field and put up great numbers. he messed up as a coach not a player.

 

[BGIF]

What do you guys think of all the hub bub being bantered about in the media in regards to McGwire, Sosa, etc... Do you think these guys should be in the Hall of Fame even though they were never caught cheating?

Shoeless Joe wasn't caught cheating but more importantly he didn't cheat. The guys you noted did. Let them sign autographs with Bonds and Charlie Hustler - outside the HOF. Let them buy a ticket to get in.

 

[tinman]

I waver on letting McGwire/Sosa etc. into the hall. On one hand, the drugs were not disallowed by the league. They didn't break any baseball rules. On another, the use of steroids in sport is extremely unethical and I don't believe anyone but Canseco might think they actually weren't doing anything wrong.

And I also feel that if the players are going to be punished by not allowing them into the hall, shouldn't we also penalize the enablers in the front offices. Donald Fehr, Bud Selig, the owners and general managers who knew what was going on. Shouldn't these men be held accountable for something too?